Goodbye
by Mouse9
Summary: The trio has broken and Hermione has to move on with the pieces of her life.
1. Transition

I don't own any of these people, and normally I don't slash Harry and Ron. But I needed them for this story, so for some...sorry and the others...this is the only one.  
  
Part One  
  
Transition  
  
She leaned against the back of the small room, watching the proceedings at the front of the hall. Watching the two men she'd known forever, that at one point had become closer to her then her own family, commit to one another.  
  
She'd tried to get their attention earlier, tried to wish them well, but kept getting pushed back and pushed back until finally she just watched the entire thing like an observer. She frowned, blinking back the hot tears threatening to leak from her eyes. It wasn't fair. She should have been up there with them, she should have been the one who helped them pick out the food and the invitations and the other things. They should have come to her when they were feeling nervous and scared and wondering if this entire ceremony wasn't overdoing it a bit.  
  
She'd heard all of that from Mrs. Weasley and Ginny.   
  
  
  
That was the day she knew the trio had split.  
  
They had been together since first year. Thrown together by a rather large troll on Halloween. From that day they'd been inseperatable...okay there were a couple of months where they were separated due to fight and things but those are all things that came with friendship. They faced death on multiple occasions for each other.   
  
When they'd first come to her and told her how they felt, she did have misgivings. But they were quick to promise that their relationship wouldn't harm the long-standing friendship in any way.  
  
And she believed it. She needed to believe it.  
  
She turned a blind eye when the visits became less frequent, when she overheard them talking about something they'd done on a night the three of them were suppose to be together. She ignored it when they did go out and they almost ignored her the entire night.  
  
She ignored the signs for two years...  
  
Until the day she saw Ginny and was told about their upcoming ceremony by the ecstatic redhead. Something they hadn't even bothered to let her know about.  
  
She went home that day and cried. She cried for four hours straight then finally fell asleep exhausted.  
  
The next morning she awoke with a splitting headache and the realization that the friendship might be suffering.  
  
They told her the next day, had been planning to tell her, but Ron let it slip to Ginny and the next thing they knew everyone knew.  
  
She accepted their apology, but watched. Watched every time they forgot she was in the room, watched every time they didn't call her or stop by or weren't home for days at a time. She watched. As they finally came to her upset; afraid that they were losing her as a friend because she seemed so distant lately.  
  
And then today.  
  
Today, she realized that she'd lost them for good. They were no longer the Golden Trio. They were a duo now and she was on the outside looking in. There was no longer any room in their lives for her.  
  
Taking one last look at the two men who had been a close part of her life for as long as she could remember, standing at the front, looking happy, she silently bid them goodbye and turned to walk out of the hall.  
  
  
  
The sun was shining but she didn't really care. All she wanted was a long soak in the tub and maybe enough butterbeer to make her forget about this day.   
  
  
  
The breeze blew across the trees, catching her hair. Pushing it away from her face, she stopped, noticing a familiar figure leaning against the side of the railing.  
  
"Wedding over already?"  
  
"What are you doing here?" She asked.   
  
The blond man stood up, regarding her. "Just paying my respects."  
  
"It's a commitment ceremony, not a funeral."  
  
"Then why do you look like someone just died?" He remarked.  
  
She opened her mouth, and then closed it. He was right. Something had just died.   
  
"Just...just go away Malfoy," she said softly, continuing her walk to her car. He moved from the rail and slipped in step with her.  
  
"You look like you need a friend."  
  
"Been there, done that."  
  
He smiled. "Come on Granger. Let's go to the pub. I'll buy you a drink. Hell, I'll buy you several. You bloody well deserve them."  
  
She stopped suddenly, looking over at him. "Why? Why are you even here, Malfoy? Getting in a barb about the fact that I've just lost the two men I cared most about. Or the fact that there is no longer a trio."  
  
He looked at her, his face serious. "No. Nothing like that. As I mentioned earlier, you need a friend. And I'm applying for the position."  
  
She snorted. "Not bloody likely."  
  
"Oh come on. I can do it. Just think... intelligent conversations? Someone to hang around with again. Someone to drag you out of that bloody office on Fridays and make sure you don't spend your entire weekend working. Someone to get you drunk enough to forget your bad days..."  
  
"Someone to shag when they're drunk enough to think it's a good idea."  
  
He looked thoughtful. "You think that'll work?"  
  
Despite herself, she smiled. "You're deplorable."  
  
"Come one Granger, what can it hurt? Hell, I'll even call you Hermione."  
  
She thought about it. "On one condition."  
  
He grinned. "Name it."  
  
"Don't ever call me "Mione."  
  
His grin grew wider. 'Deal. So where to first?"  
  
She shook her head. "I can't believe I'm doing this. My apartment so I can change, then wherever you want to go. Have you ever been in a convertible?"  
  
"A what?"  
  
"It's a car. With no top."  
  
"You expect me to get into a Muggle contraption without a lid?"  
  
"This from a man who does deadly sweeps and maneuvers on a broom."  
  
"That's completely different."  
  
She smiled again. "Come on. You'll enjoy it. We'll make a Muggle lover out of you yet."  
  
He snorted, eyeing her car. "Parish the thought."  
  
Sliding into her car, she glanced back at the hall in the distance. The doors were open and she could see them out on the steps surrounded by well-wishers. Smiling slightly, she turned on the ignition, and snickered at her companion's slight squeak of trepidation.   
  
  
  
That part of her life was over and she had to move on.  
  
Putting the car in drive, she grinned as she drove off.   
  
At least she could say her future wasn't going to be boring. 


	2. Adaption

Part Two  
  
Adaption  
  
It was spring when Harry and Ron returned to London.   
  
After visiting relatives and friends, the two promised to stop by the twins' shop the next day and go to lunch.  
  
The next day found them wandering around Diagon Alley, taking in the old sights they hadn't seen for five years.  
  
"It hasn't changed much." Harry remarked. Ron shrugged.   
  
"It hasn't changed since my dad was young, why should it change now?"  
  
Harry smiled. "It's the Muggle in me. Progress and all that."  
  
Ron smirked, taking his hand. "I like the Muggle in you." He said softly.   
  
Turning the corner, they found the twins joke shop had grown into somewhat of a novelty store.   
  
  
  
They entered, Harry smiling at the bell announcing their arrival. The twins were at the counter speaking with a customer and his young son. Fred glanced up, and then did a double take. A slow grin appeared on his face and he slightly nudged his brother. George glanced up, not interrupting the conversation with the client, smiling briefly, then returning his attention to the man in front of him.  
  
Fred waved.  
  
"You know," Ron remarked. "Even after all these years, those two still give me the jeebies when they do that."  
  
Harry laughed. Suddenly the young child broke the semi-silence in the store.  
  
"Daddy, I want one of these." The small child exclaimed. The man at the counter glanced to his left then shook his head.  
  
"Your mother would kill me." He stated.  
  
The looks on the twin's faces confirmed his statement. But the boy didn't give up. He walked around the store looking for something he could beg his father for.  
  
"Alexi, touch nothing."  
  
"Okay." The boy said, fingering a snapdragon. He wandered around, stopping suddenly in front of Harry and Ron.  
  
"Hi!"  
  
Harry smiled down at the boy. The child couldn't have been over three; with golden blond hair and eyes so blue they were almost gray. The toddler glanced over at Ron, then his eyes widening, glanced back at the twins, then back at Ron.  
  
"You a Weasley!" He announced happily. Ron smirked.  
  
"I might be."  
  
"Don't let him fool you, Alexi." Fred announced. "No matter how much he wants to deny it, he's a Weasley. A Weasley who takes off for parts unknown for years at a time, but still a Weasley."  
  
"We were traveling." Ron defended, glaring at his grinning older brother.  
  
Harry watched as George said something to the man at the counter, who suddenly stiffened. His eyes narrowed as he took in the man's appearance. Long white blond hair, expensive looking clothing. With the exception of the toddler running around calling his Daddy, he would think it was...  
  
The man turned slowly, and Harry's face registered shock.  
  
"Malfoy?"  
  
Draco nodded his head slightly. "Potter, Weasley. Come back to London, I see."  
  
Harry nodded back. "Just got in yesterday."  
  
Draco smirked. "Funny, I didn't hear about it."  
  
Ron took that opportunity to jump into the conversation. "Why would you hear about it?"  
  
Draco smirk grew wider as did the twins. "Oh yes, you wouldn't know, would you."  
  
He turned, gathering up his package from George.   
  
"Same time next week." He said. George grinned.   
  
"One day she's going to ban you from coming in here."  
  
Draco smiled. "She wouldn't. She knows it's Alexi's favorite place."  
  
He nodded to the twins, and then glanced around for the toddler. "Alexi, lunch."  
  
The small child came rushing over to him. "We get mommy and Anna now?"  
  
He nodded at his son then walked towards the door, glancing briefly at the two men still giving him a confused stare.   
  
"Gentlemen. I assume I'll see you around?"  
  
Then the two walked out the door. Harry and Ron looked back over at the twins who were both wearing expectant looks.  
  
"What?" Ron asked.  
  
"You really don't know, do you?" Fred asked.  
  
"Know what?" Ron asked.  
  
"Draco got married about four years ago. A year after you two took off for parts unknown."  
  
Ron shrugged. "And this would interest us why?"   
  
The door opened again and Ginny walked in with a young blond girl about the same age and look of the child who'd just left with Draco.  
  
"Hi guys." He said, smiling at Harry and Ron before turning her attention back to the twins.   
  
"I take it Draco and Alexi have already left?"  
  
"I'm surprised you didn't run into them." Fred said.   
  
"Different way. Flourish and Blotts is the opposite way from the Leaky Cauldron." She said.   
  
"Oh, it's McDouglas today, isn't it?" George said, a maniacal gleam in his eye. Ginny nodded, grinning.   
  
"That's why I'm here. Someone has to watch the two in the play place."  
  
Ron's frown grew. "What is going on? When did the Weasleys become so bloody chummy with the Malfoys?  
  
Ginny looked at him perturbed. "When he married your best friend, you dolt. I know you got the wedding invitation. I sent them myself."  
  
Harry was suddenly nervous. "We didn't receive the invitation until the day after the wedding. I meant to write a letter, but we got too busy and..."  
  
"We only received one wedding invitation." Ron stated. "Hermione got married, and..." He trailed off as three red haired siblings looked at him expectantly. Harry paled.   
  
"Oh bloody hell."  
  
"I sent Anastasia with Ginny. She was getting restless."  
  
"After three hours in a book store. I can't understand why."  
  
Hermione glared playfully at her husband, then glanced around the street.   
  
"Here she comes now. With...oh."  
  
Draco grimaced. "I neglected to tell you. Potter and Weasley are back in town. Sorry."  
  
Hermione braced herself. "Not much one can do about it now."  
  
"Sorry we're late." Ginny called out as she approached. "We got tied up in the twins' store."  
  
She nodded absently, watching the two men walking behind her. She smiled, feeling her husband's hand on her back.   
  
"When did you two get back?" She asked.  
  
"Yesterday. I'm so sorry 'Mione." Harry said, reaching over to give her a hug. She tried not to flinch at the nickname she hadn't been called in years. She hugged Ron next, then stepped back.   
  
"We were going to owl you last night, but some people came over and before we knew it..." Ron said. She nodded.   
  
I understand completely." She said.  
  
The young girl frowned over at the two men, then grabbed her mother's hand with her free one.  
  
"Wanna go..." she whined. Her brother joined in.  
  
"Me too. Wanna go play."  
  
Ginny leaned towards Hermione slightly. "Draco and I can take them if you want to catch up." She suggested. Hermione shook her head.   
  
"No. This is a family outing." She stated. Turning her attention at the two men, she smiled pleasantly.  
  
"The natives are getting restless. I promised them McDouglas today and they're quite anxious. Owl me when you get settled in and we'll meet for lunch or something." She said. Leaning over, she gave them both a quick peck on the cheek. "It was wonderful to see you again."  
  
Smiling at them, she turned her attention to the toddler pulling at her hand.   
  
"Yes Anna, let's go."  
  
Ginny threw her brother and his partner a sympathic glance, and Draco nodded silently before picking up the small boy and walking towards the entrance to the pub and the Muggle world.   
  
Ron frowned, watching the five walk off. "You think she's mad?"  
  
Harry shook his head, suddenly feeling a little melancholy. "No. She's adapted." 


End file.
